Abstract

Abstract Category: Innovation in Education

Purpose: Education and growth are the foundations that drive and ensure quality of work, department’s development, and ultimately, the organization’s future. Since the opening of the hospital on April 27, 2011, West Kendall Baptist Hospital’s (WKBH) Laboratory started its innovative journey of employee education and growth. One of the department’s main priorities and focus was to strategize a process to develop employees within the healthcare field.

Methods: The laboratory adapted the concept of growing our own by individually assessing strengths, skills, talents and applying it to the most appropriate venue for development. Opportunities identified included career ladder, cross training, performance improvement, College of American Pathologists (CAP) regulation training, research and evidence based projects, stretch assignments, leading instrument implementations, participation in hospital committees, and establishing university affiliations.

Findings: In the retrospective years since WKBH opened, the laboratory has consistently excelled in CAP inspections with preparation and involvement of key staff, ranked in the 93rd percentile for employee engagement results, and satisfactory performance improvement indices reflecting commitment to patient care. Seventeen employees enrolled in career ladder advancements, five career promotions from Medical Technologist to Lead Technologist or from Lead Technologist to Supervisor, and eight employees have obtained or are in process of obtaining their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Beyond the laboratory, employees have been selected for poster presentations and sessions at international laboratory conferences, in addition to state user groups, and publishing manuscripts for a medical journals.

Discussion: The laboratory has taken great strides in providing creative outlets for education and growth. The department has become a fine-tuned orchestra working harmoniously due to the utilization of forefront innovative staff development approaches such as evidence based practice research, coordination of the first Laboratory Unit Based Practice Council (UBPC), and establishing the use of the WKBH Lab Journal Club. The successful promotion of four medical technologists from MT1 to MT2, encouraged thirteen technologists to continue and pursue MT2 to MT3. Promoting and supporting the employee’s growth has had the benefit of establishing collaborative relationships with other hospital units.

Implications for Practice: Based on our measures, the laboratory has had increasingly positive employee engagement scores with highly talented employee retention. The laboratory has created an innovative support system for employee growth and development and has created a beacon for similar technical departments within the organization.

Publication Date

4-3-2018

Presented At:

2018 West Kendall Baptist Hospital Scholarly Showcase

Content Type

Poster

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